Pomalidomide belongs to the IMiDs class of compounds which thalidomide is the parent compound and lenalidomide the most recently approved agent. It is derived from thalidomide and shares a number of the beneficial pharmacologic properties with thalidomide. The efficacy of thalidomide has been limited by adverse effects. This toxicity profile seems dose and duration-related, spurring the development of IMiDs, which have the potential of improved potency and reduced toxicity. By modifying the thalidomide structure through the addition of an amino group at the 4 position of the phthaloyl ring to generate pomalidomide, a compound that is up to 50000 times more potent at inhibiting TNF-alpha than thalidomide was formed.